WFP Hosts A Hangout From Syria

ByJustin Smith — 31 January 2013

WFP aims to feed as many as 1.5 million affected by the conflict in Syria this month in addition to more than 248,000 refugees in neighboring countries. Copyright: WFP/Abeer Etefa

Live from Damascus, join WFP's Abeer Etefa for a Google+ Hangout at the centre of the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Abeer has spent the week travelling around the country to visit WFP operations on both sides of the front lines. This unique event will be broadcast live on Google+ and on YouTube Friday 1 February at 12:00pm NYC / 5:00pm London. Watch here

Google+ Hangout From Syria

ROME—WFP will host a Google+ Hangout on the humanitarian crisis in Syria on Friday 1 February at 12:00pm NYC / 5:00pm London.

From our office in Damascus, WFP's Abeer Etefa will join a group of bloggers and journalists to talk about her cross-country trip to see how food assistance is helping families on both sides of the front lines.

This unique event will be broadcast live on our Google+ Page as well as on YouTube. During the Hangout, viewers will be able to submit questions to Abeer and the other participants either on Google+ or via Twitter using the hashtag #wfpsyria.

Abeer Etefa is WFP’s Spokeswoman and Senior Regional Public Information Officer for the Middle East & North Africa region. Before joining WFP, she was the spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) covering the MENA region. She spent six-years working for the BBC and ABC News as a field TV producer. @AbeerEtefa

Karen Leigh is the managing editor of Syria Deeply, a new media platform covering the Syrian crisis. She has lived and reported in India, West Africa, Europe and the Middle East, covering the 2011 Arab revolutions and writing for publications including TIME and The New York Times. Reporting for Bloomberg News, she traveled with the Clinton, Obama and McCain campaigns during the 2008 elections. @leighstream

Deborah Amos covers the Middle East for NPR News. Her reports can be heard on NPR's award-winning Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. She travels extensively across the Middle East covering stories including the rise of well-educated Syria youth, a series focusing on the emerging power of Turkey and the plight of Iraqi refugees. @deborahamos

Andrew J. Tabler is a senior fellow in the Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute, where he focuses on Syria and U.S. policy in the Levant. During 14 years of residence in the Middle East, Tabler served as a consultant on U.S.-Syria relations for the International Crisis Group and as a fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs, writing on Syrian, Lebanese, and Middle Eastern affairs. @andrewtabler

Bettina Luescher is the Chief Spokesperson for North America of WFP. Since joining WFP in 2004 she has worked in crisis areas like Darfur, Afghanistan, Gaza, Guatemala, Haiti and the Tsunami region of Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Before joining the UN, Luescher worked for 15 years as an anchor, reporter and field producer for CNN International. @bettinaluescher

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Author: Justin Smith

Justin Smith worked as a Social Media Editor and Journalist. He was based in WFP Headquarters in Rome.